Interstellar Communication



Most planets build their ISC arrays as orbiting satellites, but
some worlds in the frontier worlds build them on the surface.
Accepting a more limited transmission window
for a less vulnerable installation.

The state of interstellar communications varies from planet to planet.  Some wealthier more established worlds are able to create millions of near-realtime connections with neighboring planets, but the further one travels from the centers of civilization, the longer and more onerous the communications lag becomes.  Most settled worlds with at least a million permanent residents can afford an Interstellar Communications Array (ISC), but the amount of power and infrastructure allocated to them has a huge impact on the bandwidth of the system.  Most worlds cannot afford to establish realtime links regularly so instead they create s system of prioritization that holds messages in a queue until a given volume has accumulated, then a packet is sent out.  These packets can be anything from personal correspondence to commercial invoices or even data requests.  These packets are routed very much like a pre-space mail system, going first to major hubs, and then being disseminated through the ISC network until reaching it's ultimate destination. 

What this means practically is that the fewer messages going to a given destination, the longer it takes fro them to reach it, and the longer it takes for a response to come back.  Of course, as with any business, it is possible to purchase a prioritization upgrade for a fee.  Basic ISC messaging services are relatively inexpensive, but are limited in the amount of data that can be sent, and are of course subject to the normal delay in transmission.  Those who are willing and able to pay for better service have a significant advantage as they can send and receive more information faster, a huge boon for interstellar business interests or government agencies.